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Torrhen Stark
Torrhen Stark, also known as the King Who Knelt, is an unseen character in Game of Thrones. He is deceased when the series begins and has appeared in the Complete Guide to Westeros and Histories & Lore featurettes. Biography Background Torrhen Stark was the last King in the North until the secession of the North and the Riverlands in the War of the Five Kings and the coronation of Robb Stark. King Torrhen's reign coincided with the War of Conquest, in which the Andal kingdoms south of the Neck submitted one by one to Aegon the Conqueror. Torrhen amassed his army and marched to meet the Targaryen warlord but by the time he arrived, Aegon had already won the decisive Field of Fire and conquered most of the South of Westeros. .]] After seeing Aegon's dragons and his massive host, Torrhen realized the war was already lost. Instead of fighting, he chose to bend the knee and surrendered his crown in order to spare his people. For his submission, Aegon named him Lord Paramount and Warden of the North. Though some Northerners sneer at Torrhen as "the king who knelt", his descendants Robb and Sansa Stark argue that Torrhen "saved thousands of lives that day" and that his critics forget they are alive today because of him. "House Stark (Complete Guide to Westeros)""Northern Allegiances to House Stark" Quotes In the books In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Torrhen Stark's story is the same. It is believed he knelt at the place where the Inn of the Kneeling Man sits at the time of the books. Torrhen's army numbered about 30,000 men but the Targaryen army that came to meet him numbered about 45,000 - nor did this represent all of Aegon's new bannermen, just the ones directly facing him. Moreover, the Targaryens had their three huge dragons. Torrhen's bastard brother, Brandon Snow, volunteered to sneak into the Targaryen camp at night and attempt to kill all three dragons while they slept but Torrhen judged that this was impossible and that the failed attempt would only invite further retaliation from the Targaryens, so he chose to surrender instead. Torrhen Stark's decision to kneel before Aegon Targaryen saved the North from the devastation inflicted upon the Gardeners and the Lannisters. The Conqueror not only confirmed the Starks as the rulers of the North but he also allowed them to keep their own customs: the Targaryens' laws would rule over the North, but they could keep their local custom of personally beheaded condemned men instead of delegating the task to an executioner. Queen Rhaenys Targaryen, as part of her efforts to keep the realm together after the Conquest, organized a marriage between Lord Stark's daughter and Lord Arryn. However, although Torrhen had bent the knee, his sons did not want to serve the Targaryens. It was only over their strong protests that the marriage took place and they refused to attend the marriage. The North remained in the realm so it can be assumed that Torrhen was able to prevent his sons from rising up against the Targaryens. It is unknown if Torrhen was still alive when Aegon visited Winterfell in 33 AC, during his last royal progress. See also * References de:Torrhen Stark pl:Torrhen Stark ru:Торрхен Старк Category:Mentioned Characters Torrhen Stark Torrhen Stark Category:Status: Dead Stark, Torrhen Stark, Torrhen Category:Characters from the North Category:Lords Paramount Category:Nobility Torrhen